The Giveaway Ritual

I was alerted to a recent newspaper article talking about thousands of Hindu devotees who are flocking to a village in Nepal ahead of the planned sacrifice of more than 300,000 animals to Gadhimai, the Hindu goddess of power. Devotees believe that sacrificing animals will bring them good luck and prosperity for their families.

Blood sacrifice is an ancient tradition in many cultures. Earth was once believed to be the mother, provider of all – and when She didn’t provide, sacrifices were made to help coax more from Her.

The agricultural revolution and a shift from accepting what the Mother provided, together with a realisation that people could reap what was sown led to a new understanding of Earth.

The Earth Mother is the metaphorical mother of people but She is the actual mother of plants. Seeds we sow are nurtured in her ‘womb’ and would live out their lifespan if we didn’t harvest them. So a belief developed that something must be given to the Earth Mother in exchange for our taking her ‘children’. The blood of women (menstrual blood) was once believed to be potential children and so this blood was given as a ‘sacrifice’ of those potential children to the Earth Mother in exchange for the ‘children’ people took from her during the harvest.

Menstrual blood is the only blood that can be offered without injury or death. Women are the only animals that bleed for up to seven days without death. Menstrual blood is non-violent blood. It is peaceful blood.

A lot of violent blood has been shed, with Gaia’s people having been involved in military conflict almost without abatement since Gulf War I in 1990. Is it no wonder She repays us with an unprecedented increase in natural disasters including flood, fire, tsunami and earthquakes?

It’s time to honour the Mother again – OUR Mother – through the simple, peaceful act of the blood giveaway.  The more women who do so, the more likely we will be able to restore some balance.

The ritual is simple, made even easier by using natural washable cloth pads (see Links page for links to suppliers). These are soaked in a soaking container in the bathroom, and the resulting blood water used in the ritual giveaway. This simply means taking your container and pouring the water onto your garden, trees or even your potplants whilst at the same time giving thanks to the Mother for all she provides, and with intention: peace on earth and goodwill to all. These two components are so important: thanks and intention.

Law of Attraction advocates will know you attract what you put out. This has variously been called ‘Reap what you sow’, ‘Ask and you shall receive’, ‘where your intention goes your energy flows’, and of course The Threefold Rule.

It is time. Time for women in particular to regain the wisdom of their grandmothers and an understanding of the magical power they command. Menstrual blood is an intensely female (yin) power and may counteract male (yang) energy. We are in a time of intense male energy right now and our Mother needs our help to reclaim some balance.

The ritual slaughtering of more than 15,000 buffaloes and 300,000 birds, goats and sheep during this year’s event in Nepal is NOT the answer.

With this one simple step – the monthly blood giveaway – we will all reap the benefits of a more balanced, peaceful Gaia.

Note: It is not intended to suggest that female energy is ‘better’ than male energy, or to devalue male energy in any way. Nature is about duality – both are important. But the key is balance, and the balance has shifted too far one way.

Resources:

The Element Encyclopedia of Witchcraft – Judika Illes, Harper Collins, 2005

New Zealand Herald

© Earth Goddess Wisdom – www.earthgoddesswisdom.com